Anti-refugee sentiment in Malaysia has been brewing for months, perhaps years.
In October Molotov cocktails were thrown at several homes in a Rohingya settlement in Johor, sparking fires in the area. Fifteen Malaysian men were arrested, and four of them were formally charged with mischief by fire. They pleaded not guilty.
But this arson is not the first sign of tension. In recent months, there has been a wave of online hostility, including a viral petition calling for refugees, specifically the Rohingya, to be sent home. TikTok videos have also shown Rohingya children being bullied and beaten, and this content is going viral.
So, is anti-refugee and anti-immigration sentiment really on the rise? What is driving it? And what should we do about it in Malaysia?
BFM talks to Jeremy Lim, the editor of Jentayu, a socialist publication.
In this conversation, they discuss:
• Whether anti-refugee sentiment is rising, and what is contributing to it
• Citizenship and who counts as a member of society
• Why migrants and refugees get scapegoated
• How the state has responded to refugees in Malaysia
• Refugees, jobs and the economy
• What Malaysia should do
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Presenters: Dashran Yohan and Sharaad Kuttan
Producer: Dashran Yohan for BFM
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